Shivani Thakur
Published on: May 9, 2022 at 17:26 IST
The Delhi High Court has directed the Centre to appoint Chairman and one Member to the Central Excise and Service Tax Settlement Commission, Principal Bench at Delhi and ensure appointment of Vice-Chairman and one Member for the Additional Bench at Mumbai, within a period of six weeks.
“We hope and expect the Respondent/Government to act in time so that, at the end of one year, we are not faced with the same situation again, when the tenure of the new Appointees expires in terms of the decision communicated vide letter dated 29.04.2022 taken note of hereinabove,” the Court added.
The Court was dealing with a Plea raising grievance with regard to Non-appointment ‘Member’ in the various Benches of the Settlement Commission in terms of Section 32 of the Central Excise Act, 1944.
The Bench had taken note of the fact that all the four Benches of the Customs, Central Excise and Service Tax Settlement Commission, situated at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai were lacking Quorum from 08.12.2019.
“However, in both the above communications, there is no whisper about the Benches in Kolkata and Chennai,” the Court noted.
The Court sought Status Report on the aforesaid aspect to be filed before the next date of hearing.
The matter is adjourned till July 20.